Suck Up To

B2 16+

Pronunciation: /sʌk ʌp tuː/

Definitions of suck up to

verb to behave obsequiously in order to gain favor or advantage

Example Sentences

A1 She sucks up to her boss in hopes of getting a promotion.

A2 He sucks up to his teachers by always volunteering to help.

B1 The new employee tried to suck up to the manager by complimenting her constantly.

B2 She was caught sucking up to the CEO in order to secure a better position.

C1 The politician was known for sucking up to wealthy donors in exchange for campaign contributions.

C2 The actor was accused of sucking up to the director to land a leading role in the film.

preposition used to indicate the person or group to whom one is trying to ingratiate oneself

Example Sentences

A1 I don't like when people suck up to the boss.

A2 She always sucks up to her teachers to get better grades.

B1 He tried to suck up to the interviewer during the job interview.

B2 The politician was accused of sucking up to lobbyists for campaign donations.

C1 She refused to suck up to her colleagues in order to get a promotion.

C2 The actor was known for sucking up to directors to get leading roles in movies.

Examples of suck up to in a Sentence

formal It is unprofessional to constantly suck up to your boss in hopes of getting a promotion.

informal Stop sucking up to the teacher just because you want a better grade.

slang She always sucks up to the boss to get what she wants.

figurative Some people will do anything to suck up to those in power.

Grammatical Forms of suck up to

past tense

sucked up to

plural

suck up to

comparative

more suck up to

superlative

most suck up to

present tense

sucks up to

future tense

will suck up to

perfect tense

has sucked up to

continuous tense

is sucking up to

singular

sucks up to

positive degree

suck up to

infinitive

to suck up to

gerund

sucking up to

participle

sucked up to

Origin and Evolution of suck up to

First Known Use: 1601 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The phrase 'suck up to' likely originated from the action of sucking up or ingratiate oneself to someone in a submissive or obsequious manner.
Evolution of the word: Originally used in a literal sense, the phrase evolved to take on a more figurative meaning of trying to gain favor or approval through flattery or excessive praise.